Performance assessment takeaways

1. Higher-level
Thinking

2. Performance Assessment
Mid-to-high stakes activities!

3. Performance Assessment
Product Process Both
Criteria and Scoring Scheme

4. Performance Assessment
ProcessProduct Both

5. 7 steps for creating performance assessments...
1. Identify the content knowledge and skills
2. Identify the thinking skills
3. Draft a task to match the learning outcomes
4. Check you draft to verify that it matches the
learning outcomes
5. Verify the performance task does not include
additional, irrelevant skills
6. Revise the task and create rubrics that include
criteria of performance levels
7. Pilot the tasks/rubrics. Revise as necessary.

6. Less Structure More StructureLess Structure More StructureLess Structure More StructureLess Structure More Structure
Task Feature Not Provided Guided Provided
Identify problem,
pose question, or
define task.
Student poses a
question, problem,
or task.
Teacher gives a
selection of questions
for the students to
choose from or adapt.
Teacher provides
the question,
problem, or task.
Select & use
strategies and/or
materials
Student selects
strategies and/or
materials.
Teacher suggests
strategies/materials
for students to use
or adapt.
Teacher provides
students strategies
and materials.
Present solution,
answer,
performance, or
final product.
Student decides
how to present
solution, answer or
final product.
Teacher suggests a
method or format
for presentation.
Teacher gives
students directions
for presentation.
Something that
actually provides
insight into student’s
thinking/
understanding.
What
students SHOULD
be doing instead of
what they COULD
be doing.

8. Look at your standards
and school/team
learning objectives.

9. The level of student thinking is
determined (in part) by the degree of
autonomy we afford our to students.

10. Less Structure More StructureLess Structure More StructureLess Structure More StructureLess Structure More Structure
Task Feature Not Provided Guided Provided
Identify problem,
pose question, or
define task.
Student poses a
question, problem,
or task.
Teacher gives a
selection of questions
for the students to
choose from or adapt.
Teacher provides
the question,
problem, or task.
Select & use
strategies and/or
materials
Student selects
strategies and/or
materials.
Teacher suggests
strategies/materials
for students to use
or adapt.
Teacher provides
students strategies
and materials.
Present solution,
answer,
performance, or
final product.
Student decides
how to present
solution, answer or
final product.
Teacher suggests a
method or format
for presentation.
Teacher gives
students directions
for presentation.
(adapted from Brookhart, 2014)

11. Rubrics
Rating scales Checklist
Scoring or feedback
guide

12. Rubrics
Rating scales Checklist
Scoring or feedback
guide

13. minimize reading time for each item
avoid trick items
avoid verbatim phrasing
from classroom
materials
avoid verbiage when writing items
avoid negative
phrasing
include the central
idea and most of
the phrases in the
stem
(Haladaya, 1994, 1997)

14. ...Work to master
performance assessment
rather than prepare for a
state assessment!

15. Constructing Open-Ended
Questions

17. There is no such thing
as an un-interrupted
path to helping students
reach their learning
goals.

18. Higher-level
Thinking &
Performance
Assessments
Curtis Chandler, Ph.D
BetterLearningForSchools.com
@CurtisChandler6